There are a myriad of locations within a motor vehicle or other transportation means where lighting is desired to provide ambient lighting for aesthetics and effect, orientation lighting for safety and convenience and functional lighting for reading, etc. The integration of electronics into lighting devices in the automobile and, more particularly, lighting has become a selling feature and further enhances the ambiance of the interior environment associated with traveling.
A molding method to provide flat panels for backlighting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,927. A flat sheet of plastic may be printed upon and then insert-molded to form a panel capable of being backlit. Backlighting generally relates to the projection of light on the back of a translucent panel such that images printed upon the panel appear illuminated and brightened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,317 discloses a method for providing three dimensional products which may be at least partially backlit by printing upon a flat substrate, forming the substrate into a shape and injecting molten resin behind the formed substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,401,748 discloses a plastic-based display including in-mold transfer film or foil which may be injection molded behind to form an article having a display panel embedded in its top surface. The display panel may be an organic light emitting device, polymer light emitting device or cholesteric light emitting device.
U.S. Application Publication No. 2008/0253140 discloses a light for motor vehicles comprising a vehicle component including an outer member that transmits light and a light guide and light source including at least one LED (light emitting diode) wherein the light guide and light source are disposed within a watertight cavity.
U.S. Application Publication No. 2008/0144333 discloses a light guide device including a substrate on which are printed a number of light emitting sections coupled to a number of light guides. The printing may employ a negative resist process and a positive mask where the negative resist polymer may be cross-linked by UV light.
Improved molding methods for seamlessly integrating printed electronics and lighting into interior trim componentry are needed to provide thinner panels, to reduce cost and waste and to improve packaging without destroying the electronics and lighting portions during the molding integration process.